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View Poll Results: What Size Thule XT Roof box for 45e
XL 30 83.33%
XXL 6 16.67%
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      01-04-2021, 10:44 PM   #1
Fennario
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Thule Motion XT Roof Box Size for 45e (XL or XXL)

Wondering which Thule Motion XT roof box to get - XL or XXL. Upside of the XXL is that it holds more stuff but concern is that it is too big, and may (i) interfere with the tailgate or extend too far out over windshield, (ii) look silly on the car, and/or (iii) have a much greater impact on MPG and driving dynamics.

Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated.
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      01-05-2021, 09:05 AM   #2
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Wasn't one of your options but I ended up with a L. Wanted an XL but when I went to order them they were out of stock and needed it relatively soon for a road trip. Here's a pic of the L on my car.
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      01-05-2021, 11:22 AM   #3
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Thanks for the pic! Wondering what the weight of it is fully loaded... do you max out the 165lbs with a typical load of luggage?

Another issue I am reading about with the XXL is that it is very easy to blow past the roof's weight limit if you fill it up (200lbs inc. bars and roof box). As such, there may not be that much of an actual difference in loads you can safely transport between the XL and XXL. If this is the case then there are only MPG/Aero/Handling penalties to the XXL without the advantage of larger loads (unless they are bulky but light items).
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      01-05-2021, 11:52 AM   #4
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The typical use for ours is the family beach trip. So the carrier gets filled with the bulky but light items (beach chairs, towels, pack-n-play, etc). I only filled our L about 3/4 of the way for my family (2 adults, 2 young kids). I don't the exact weight, but I'm sure it was well below the 165lbs limit. The more pressing limit is the 80mph max speed. Driving down the highway with a speed limit of 70mph, I typically would exceed 80mph if I didn't have the carrier on top. With the carrier I was less willing to go over 80mph, although I did on occasion.
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      01-05-2021, 08:46 PM   #5
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I went with XL.
Just got back from 2000+ road trip.
Very useful and wind noise is very bearable.
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      01-13-2021, 04:57 PM   #6
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which Thule roof rack are you guys using? Any wind noise when left on the rails without the box?
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      01-13-2021, 07:10 PM   #7
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I'm using the aeroblade edge. With some trial and error with the placement I got it so there was only a slight whistle at or above 40mph. That went away when the box was on. After a week or so I didn't even notice it. Especially with music playing. Wife never noticed, had to point it out to her.

Apparently there's a "hack" were adding some 3M tape on the bottom and that eliminates the whistle. Didn't bother with that bc I take the rails off when I don't use them.
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      01-13-2021, 08:58 PM   #8
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Ended up ordering a Motion XT XL in glossy black... should be here in a week or two. Every store in the US was sold out but ended up finding one in Germany. Total cost including FedEx shipping was about the same as it would have been to purchase locally (if they were in-stock).
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      01-16-2021, 11:23 AM   #9
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The German store ended up cancelling my order but was able to find an XL in black at SportsBasement.

Note re: XL Size/Transporting... Went to pick it up yesterday, but found out it will not fit inside the X5 for transport back to the house (middle seats dropped/full cargo config). Putting the bars on today so I can install it on top for the drive home.
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      01-17-2021, 09:27 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fennario View Post
The German store ended up cancelling my order but was able to find an XL in black at SportsBasement.

Note re: XL Size/Transporting... Went to pick it up yesterday, but found out it will not fit inside the X5 for transport back to the house (middle seats dropped/full cargo config). Putting the bars on today so I can install it on top for the drive home.
Yea, XL doesn't fit inside the car.
I have to install the cross bar and back to RackAttack to pick up the roof box.
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      01-17-2021, 04:23 PM   #11
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Also wanted to mention that there was zero whistling or noticeable wind noise on either the drive to pick it up or on the way home. The front of the roof box was visually vibrating a bit on the highway from the wind but figure that will cease once it is actually loaded with stuff. I put the front cross bar inline with the sunroof weather strip at the B Pillar and the rear bar about 30" away close to the C Pillar.
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      02-15-2021, 03:33 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fennario View Post
Also wanted to mention that there was zero whistling or noticeable wind noise on either the drive to pick it up or on the way home. The front of the roof box was visually vibrating a bit on the highway from the wind but figure that will cease once it is actually loaded with stuff. I put the front cross bar inline with the sunroof weather strip at the B Pillar and the rear bar about 30" away close to the C Pillar.
Let's see a pic of it on the car!
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      02-16-2021, 02:25 AM   #13
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I was just watching a vid of the vector M (1" shorter than the motion XL) on a prior gen x5 and it's the absolute longest I'd put on an x5.

I have the xxl on wingbar evos on my x7 and it's noticeably louder empty than full. up over 65mph on the freeway it gets a little noisy, and the volume ramps pretty quickly as you head to 80mph, but it's nothing at all unbearable. Around town and empty, you get some whistle with the windows down, and it shuts up entirely when full.
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      02-16-2021, 10:29 AM   #14
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Box is put away in the garage for now - will take a pic next week when I'm up in the snow.

Re: Wind Noise. Whistling is caused by clean air flowing over the bars. Make sure to put the leading bar far enough back so it is within the hump of dirty air created by the laminar flow from the windshield. The turbulence will prevent the bar from whistling.

Last edited by Fennario; 02-16-2021 at 11:25 AM..
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      02-26-2021, 11:00 AM   #15
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Pic of box on Car (XL) along with 19" Alpins. Car is parked on slope - front wheel looks messed up but is fine.
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      03-02-2021, 05:06 PM   #16
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for anyone looking for the Thule Motion... REI has them back in stock. I just copped one.
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      03-02-2021, 09:33 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fennario View Post
Pic of box on Car (XL) along with 19" Alpins. Car is parked on slope - front wheel looks messed up but is fine.
The XL doesn't interfere with the tailgate opening and closing right? How much clearance room is there between the box and tailgate? Does it interfere with the moonroof? Can I still crack it open?

What roof rack/cross bars are you using? Thanks!

Last edited by amus3d; 03-02-2021 at 09:41 PM..
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      03-02-2021, 11:12 PM   #18
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Thule Aeroblade Edge rails and no issues opening the sunroof. You just put the box on the roof and slide it into a position where you can still open the tailgate prior to locking the clamps down (clamps can slide back and forth within the box prior to locking).
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      03-25-2021, 09:43 AM   #19
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XXL does not look right unless you have a massive car. (full size suv or minivan) two of my buddies has the XXL and it looks like he's carrying a submarine on his roof lol. They also have issues where they can not go into a lot of parking garages.
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      03-25-2021, 04:49 PM   #20
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Posted them in another thread already but here some more pictures of the xl with evo wingbar edge.. all black
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      03-28-2021, 10:58 PM   #21
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Here’s my XL
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      03-29-2021, 11:28 AM   #22
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Move everything further back (including the rails). There is a lot of excess lift and drag when you have the leading edge that far forward/above the windshield. All of the air coming up off your hood and windshield is being forced into the gap under the box. The further back you can get it, the more of that air will be routed over the top of the box.
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